The mountain path ended in mist.
Stone stairs curved upward into the clouds, each step engraved with glowing sigils that pulsed in time with Ria's heartbeat. She paused halfway, chest rising with effort. Mortal lungs burned differently; the air bit sharper, the climb felt endless. And yet—she smiled. To be tired was to be alive.
Ren leaned against a boulder beside her, panting dramatically. "If this is their idea of a welcoming ceremony, I miss the part where we just fight gods."
She laughed softly. "You're the one who said we needed to blend in."
"Yeah, but my definition of blending in didn't include mountain marathons."
Above them, bells chimed. The mist thinned, revealing the Cloud-Ridge Sect—a fortress carved into the mountain's spine, its roofs layered like dragon scales. Bridges of light arched between pagodas. Disciples in grey-and-blue robes moved with measured grace, their hands glowing faintly as they carried scrolls or floated lotus-shaped lamps.
> Quest Updated — Joined Cloud-Ridge Sect (Rank: Outer Disciple Candidate).
Objective: Pass the Trial of Entry.
Ria straightened her robes, nerves fluttering. "Ready?"
Ren flashed his grin. "I was born ready. Probably."
---
At the main gate, a monk in deep blue stood waiting, his beard silver as morning frost. His eyes glowed faintly with qi-light.
"I am Elder Hanzo, Keeper of the Lower Gate," he said. "You come seeking cultivation?"
Ria bowed. "Yes, Elder."
He studied them both. "The path is long. Many walk it; few reach its end. Tell me—why do you seek the Dao?"
Ren opened his mouth, but Ria answered first. "To understand life. Not to command it."
The elder's gaze softened. "A rare answer."
He gestured toward the courtyard beyond, where a line of aspirants waited beside a large crystal monolith. "Place your hands upon the stone. It will measure your affinity."
---
One by one, disciples stepped forward. Some stones glowed faintly, some not at all. When Ria's turn came, whispers rippled through the crowd. Her silver hair caught the light, and though she wore the guise of a mortal, her calm carried something ancient.
She pressed her palms to the surface.
For a moment, nothing. Then the crystal erupted in color—blue, gold, crimson, violet—spinning into patterns that refused to settle. The sigils carved on the mountain flared in response. A wave of energy rolled outward, knocking a few nearby students off their feet.
Ren winced. "So much for blending in."
Elder Hanzo stepped forward quickly, placing his hand on the stone. The light dimmed, though faint threads of silver still danced beneath its surface.
"Remarkable," he murmured. "Affinity with all five elements… and something beyond." He met Ria's eyes. "Tell no one of this, child. Some lights draw envy as easily as respect."
She nodded. "I understand."
Ren took his place next, smirking. "Try not to faint."
He placed his hands on the crystal—and it flickered gold, then flared white hot for half a heartbeat before shattering with a loud crack.
The courtyard fell silent.
Ria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ren…"
He shrugged sheepishly. "Guess it liked me too much?"
Elder Hanzo coughed into his sleeve, torn between disapproval and disbelief. "You two… will both enter as provisional disciples. The Sect Master will wish to meet you."
---
They were given quarters in the outer disciples' wing—a cluster of small stone houses overlooking a lake that mirrored the sky. The air buzzed faintly with spiritual energy. Ria could feel it flowing through the water, the wind, even the grains of soil. Cultivation here wasn't forced; it breathed.
That night, she sat on the dock watching fireflies drift across the surface. Each glow reminded her of her lost flames—still with her, yet distant. She missed their warmth, but something new stirred inside: the faint pulse of qi, slower, quieter, earned breath by breath instead of granted by gods.
Ren dropped beside her, holding two bowls of rice. "So, official disciples of Cloud-Ridge Sect. How long before they find out we're foxes?"
She smirked. "As long as you don't start chasing chickens."
He laughed, then leaned back, eyes tracing the stars. "Think we'll fit here?"
Ria followed his gaze. The stars shimmered like a thousand eyes watching. "No. But maybe that's the point."
---
Days turned into a rhythm of practice. Mornings began before sunrise with meditation by the lake. They learned to draw qi from the world—first through breath, then through movement. The energy of the mountains responded differently than divine flame. It was stubborn, heavy, but real. It demanded patience, humility.
Ria struggled at first. Her body, bound by flesh, tired easily. But when she finally drew her first full breath of qi and felt it ignite like dawn in her veins, the sensation nearly brought tears to her eyes. Mortal cultivation wasn't lesser—it was intimate, grounded. Every spark came from effort, not destiny.
Ren, meanwhile, became the darling of the training grounds—half because of his natural charm, half because his failed experiments tended to explode in entertaining ways. Ria often had to rescue him from singed eyebrows and scolded instructors.
Yet through laughter and exhaustion, they learned.
---
One evening, Elder Hanzo summoned them to the observatory, a circular terrace that overlooked the entire range. The night sky burned brighter here, and the air shimmered with spiritual resonance.
"Do you see them?" he asked, gesturing toward the distant horizon. "Those faint lights across the sea? Other continents. Other sects. Other heavens."
Ria's eyes widened. The world stretched far beyond this mountain—worlds upon worlds, each layer humming with mystery.
Hanzo continued, "Every century, the Great Convergence opens—the competition of all realms. Disciples from thousands of sects gather to test their Dao. Some ascend, some vanish. It is said even the heavens themselves change shape after each cycle."
Ren whistled. "Sounds like a big deal."
"It is," the elder said gravely. "And Cloud-Ridge will send disciples again soon. Perhaps you'll be among them."
Ria's heart quickened. The very idea of so many worlds colliding stirred her old flame. "When?"
"Years from now. Decades, perhaps. The path is long, Ria." His eyes softened. "But something tells me yours will be longer still."
---
Later, back by the lake, Ria looked up at the stars again. She remembered each realm she had saved, every flame she had kindled—and realized they were only the first steps.
Ren joined her quietly. "You're thinking again."
"I'm remembering," she said. "How small everything once seemed. And how endless it truly is."
He chuckled. "Endless? Sounds exhausting."
"Maybe. But if the world has a thousand horizons…" She smiled faintly. "Then we'll walk a thousand more."
Ren raised his bowl of rice in salute. "To the next thousand adventures."
They ate in comfortable silence while the wind rippled across the lake, carrying whispers of places yet unseen—of immortal empires, ancient sects, and forgotten flames waiting to be found. Somewhere deep within, Ria felt the Boundless Universe System stir again, its voice faint but clear:
> Main Quest Extension — Path of a Thousand Flames Initiated.
Progress: Chapter 21 of 1,000+.
Ria laughed softly, eyes bright. "Then our story's just begun."
The stars reflected in the lake agreed, shining like endless possibilities waiting to be written.
---